NFL Player News
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D'Ernest Johnson RB | NE
D'Ernest Johnson: Let go by Patriots
Johnson was waived by the Patriots on Monday.
Johnson played two snaps on special teams in Sunday's 16-3 win over the Chargers in the wild-card round but has been released from New England's 53-man roster the next day. He had 14 carries for 25 yards in eight regular-season games, seven of which came with the Patriots after Johnson notched one appearance for the Cardinals.
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Hunter Luepke RB | DAL
Cowboys' Hunter Luepke: Small but steady role in 2025
Luepke carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards and caught 13 of 15 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown over 17 games in 2025.
The fullback has missed only one game in three seasons with the Cowboys, and Luepke set a new career high with his 180 scrimmage yards while scoring his second career TD. He split his time nearly equally between the offense and special teams in 2025, playing 250 offensive snaps and 241 on kick-return squads, and he should fill a similar role next season in the first year of a two-year, $7 million contract extension.
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Phil Mafah RB | DAL
Cowboys' Phil Mafah: Scores in pro debut
Mafah appeared in one game for the Cowboys in 2025, carrying the ball five times for 18 yards and a touchdown while catching both his targets for 11 yards.
The 2025 seventh-round pick spent most of his rookie season on IR due to a shoulder injury, but Dallas activated him ahead of a Week 18 clash with the Giants and Mafah scored from the one-yard line in his NFL debut. With Javonte Williams headed for free agency, the Cowboys' backfield is unsettled to begin the offseason, and Mafah could find himself in a short-yardage-specialist role to begin 2026 if the team isn't able to find a bell cow to head the backfield.
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Dylan Laube RB | LV
Raiders' Dylan Laube: Plays 27 offensive snaps in 2025
Laube ended his 2025 campaign with seven carries for nine yards and three catches for 18 yards on four targets over 17 games. He also returned 33 kickoffs for 855 yards and lost one fumble.
Laube served primarily on special teams for a second straight season, ultimately logging just 27 total offensive snaps while rookie Ashton Jeanty and veteran Raheem Mostert (knee) handled a majority of the Raiders' backfield work. Laube has two years remaining on his rookie contract in Las Vegas, but under a new head coach in 2026, he may have to battle for a roster spot moving forward.
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Kimani Vidal RB | LAC
Chargers' Kimani Vidal: Starts Sunday's WC loss
Vidal handled 11 carries for 31 yards while catching two of three targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 16-3 wild-card loss to New England.
Vidal got the surprise start in Sunday's playoff loss despite RB Omarion Hampton being available after resting in Week 18. The latter must have suffered a setback to his injured ankle after losing a yard on his only carry. Vidal couldn't take advantage of the opportunity like he did during the regular season when he posted a 155-643-3 rushing line while Hampton was mending on IR. The 23-year-old Vidal will be an exclusive rights free agent this upcoming offseason, meaning that the Chargers can tender a one-year contract to keep him in the organization. That seems like a likely scenario given the second-year rusher's success playing both behind and alongside Hampton this year.
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TreVeyon Henderson RB | NE
Patriots' TreVeyon Henderson: Outplayed by Stevenson in win
Henderson rushed nine times for 27 yards and caught his only target for nine yards in Sunday's 16-3 wild-card game win over the Chargers.
Henderson struggled to find running room, with most of his rushing yards coming on a 15-yard carry on his final touch as the Patriots were running out the clock. He ceded most of the backfield touches to the much more efficient Rhamondre Stevenson, who turned 10 carries and four targets into 128 scrimmage yards. After an underwhelming playoff debut, Henderson will get an opportunity to pick up the pace in the AFC divisional round against either the Texans or Steelers while continuing to share backfield reps with Stevenson. Both of those defenses were stout against the run in the regular season and Henderson hasn't contributed much as a pass catcher recently, with only two targets in his last four games.
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Rhamondre Stevenson RB | NE
Patriots' Rhamondre Stevenson: Compiles 128 scrimmage yards
Stevenson rushed 10 times for 53 yards and caught three of four targets for 75 yards in Sunday's 16-3 wild-card game win over the Chargers.
Stevenson was much more effective than TreVeyon Henderson, who had just 36 total yards on 10 touches. The Patriots rode the hot hand on the ground, helping Stevenson finish with the team lead in carries in addition to his usual role as the primary pass catcher among the team's running backs. Stevenson and Henderson will likely continue to split carries in the AFC divisional round, when New England will face a stout run defense, regardless of whether that's the Texans or Steelers. In each of his last six games dating back to the regular season, Stevenson has produced at least 77 scrimmage yards.
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Christian McCaffrey RB | SF
49ers' Christian McCaffrey: Hits pay dirt twice in WC win
McCaffrey rushed 15 times for 48 yards and caught six of eight targets for 66 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 23-19 playoff win over the Eagles.
TE George Kittle (Achilles) went down midway through the second quarter of Sunday's wild-card game, so the 49ers had to rely on its remaining superstar in order to overcome the Eagles' dominant defense. McCaffrey responded to the moment and generated well over 100 yards from scrimmage while catching a pair of touchdown passes -- including the game-winning score -- to advance his club to the next round. The 49ers' dual-threat running back was bottled up against the Seahawks when these two division foes met in the regular-season finale (16 touches for 57 yards), but McCaffrey should find himself busier as a receiver in the divisional round rematch with Kittle expected to miss the remainder of the postseason.
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Saquon Barkley RB | PHI
Eagles' Saquon Barkley: Tops 100 yards in playoff loss
Barkley rushed 26 times for 106 yards and caught three of six targets for 25 yards in Sunday's 23-19 wild-card game loss to the 49ers.
Barkley ripped off a 29-yard run on Philadelphia's second offensive play to help set up a one-yard Dallas Goedert rushing touchdown on the team's first drive, and the star running back topped 100 yards on the ground after doing so in only three of 16 regular-season games. Despite Barkley's best efforts, he suffered his first playoff loss in an Eagles uniform after winning Super Bowl LIX in his first season with the team. Barkley remains one of the league's best running backs and should maintain a workhorse role for the Eagles in his age-29 season.
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Ray Davis RB | BUF
Bills' Ray Davis: Special-teams impact in win
Davis recorded four kickoff returns for 119 yards and lost a fumble in Sunday's 27-24 wild-card win over the Jaguars.
Davis didn't garner any touches on offense as James Cook handled the entirety of the backfield work versus Jacksonville. Davis did return four kicks, the first of which he put on the ground, and it was recovered by the Jaguars. The running back will look to be more involved in the Bills' offensive attack in the AFC divisional round.